The present invention is directed to a powered toothbrush and in particular to a toothbrush head having movably mounted bristles. Various types of powered tooth-brushes are generally known in the art. Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,916 which relates to an electrically driven toothbrush having a motor drive for rotating a drive shaft. The drive shaft is connected to a bristle holder on the head of the toothbrush in such a manner that rotation of the drive shaft causes the bristle holder to rotationally oscillate back and forth. Various other arrangements are known for oscillating a bristle holder mounted to the head of an electric toothbrush.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,942 shows a further type of powered toothbrush wherein the head includes a pair of concentrically arranged sections, each of which is driven in a rotational oscillating manner in opposite directions. The toothbrush head, however, includes only the two counter-oscillating sections. The head does not include any other sections on which bristles may be mounted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,313 discloses a household appliance which would be used for cleaning, polishing or massaging. One such appliance is a toothbrush. The head has a plurality of co-axially rotatable or parallel linearly movable sections. No provision is made on the head for other bristle containing sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,567 discloses an electrically driven toothbrush which includes a rotatable brush head having bristles thereon. Adjacent to the brush head are a further group of bristles each of which rotates around its own axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,796,641 relates to a spotting brush usable for dry-cleaning wherein a pair of side by side heads are rotatably mounted.